The invention relates to an ink-storage unit for a hand-operated stamp, comprising a trough-shaped container which is open at the top and inside of which an ink-storage body is arranged, the latter being configured to deliver stamping ink to a printing plate in the operating state.
Hand-operated stamps which are provided with an ink-storage unit as indicated above are usually called pre-inked stamps. The stamping ink necessary for creating the stamp imprint is stored in the ink-storage body which transfers the stamping ink to the printing plate adjoining the same. The ink-storage body may be based on different techniques, e.g. on a salt washing out method, on a gel system, on a foam (vinyl foam) system (PVA), or on a fiber-body system (PE).
In case of an open-pored foam material, e.g. EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate), and PE (polyethylene), with a more innovative method, the so-called flash system, a closing of pores of the open-pored material is caused in those regions where no stamp imprint shall be created, so as to obtain a distinct printing plate, namely by means of short exposure (flash), in particular by the aid of xenon lamps. However, in those regions where a stamp imprint shall be created, the pores of the printing plate remain open. To apply the desired image for the stamp imprint to the stamp-plate blank, pre-cut EVA plates are put into an exposure apparatus, along with a foil including the desired stamp-imprint image which has been produced by the aid of a computer, e.g. the printing plate is then produced by employing flash-like exposure once or several times.
For operation, this EVA or PE printing plate shall be provided with stamping ink for which purpose the ink-storage body is used which is soaked with stamping ink and consists particularly of PVA foam material. Such ink-storage bodies are usually offered in bag packages in a tub-shaped, or trough-shaped, container which is open at the top. Before inserting the storage body with its container into the respective hand-operated stamp, e.g. the user soaks the stamp with stamping ink, it being difficult to provide the storage body with the right amount of stamping ink. This soaking with the right amount of stamping ink would be much easier during production but this, in turn, would cause problems when removing the ink-storage unit which consists of container and ink-storage body out from the respective packaging and when inserting the same into the hand-operated stamp since this usually involves soiling. Already when cutting open the packaging, the cutting means, e.g. a pair of scissors, may contact the stamping ink, and a similar soiling is virtually inevitable when removing the inked pad material (made of PVA or PE) from the packaging before fixing the printing plate and inserting the unit into the stamp casing.